Luxury packaging is becoming a force to be reckoned with. As consumerism continues to be taken over by health crazes and a need to ‘look good’, there is continued huge potential in the food and beverage sector to invest in luxury packaging. I for one am guilty of buying a Fortnum and Mason loose tea set, over your regular box of 80 teabags, purely on the basis that the packaging was prettier… I didn’t even think twice about the price.
There is something about a product when its packaging is so aesthetically pleasing that makes you feel an undying need to have it. It’s your age-old, ‘I’ll tell myself this is something I need, when really it is something I want’ situation.
As a consumer, your eyes are naturally drawn to whatever looks the most pleasant, vibrant or enticing on the shelf and this is often products that are finished with a luxurious simplicity and follow a few simple, proven rules. Luxury packaging tends to follow a certain aesthetic with glass and paperboard making up 72% of the materials used.
A prime example of glass in luxury packaging is the limited edition ‘Disaronno Wears’ bottles. Disaronno has previously collaborated with Italian Fashion houses: Moschino, Versace and Roberto Cavalli. This is a prime example of food and beverage taking packaging inspiration directly from the fashion industry. Perhaps it is the designer’s brand that makes such packaging so sought after – I still have all three bottles since they are too beautiful and not even the recycling bin is worthy of them!
In fact when it comes to luxury packaging in the beverage industry, alcohol brands are leading the way. All of the brands shortlisted for the ‘Drinks: Bottle’ and the ‘Drinks: presentation case, carton, sleeve or tube’ categories at the Luxury Packaging Awards 2016 were alcoholic beverages. This leaves a huge gap in the market for the luxury packaging of non-alcoholic beverages.
Boxes tend to be the forerunner for the packaging of luxury food products. They are often produced in monochrome or pastels and have a minimalist aspect to them. More often than not the brand name is the only text on the packaging, as well as being embossed in gold or similar adding that vibrant, exclusive and aspirational feeling to the product.
Luxury packaging can also be environmentally friendly as many of the materials used are recyclable, or just so good looking you won’t want to throw them away and will find use for them! I’ve kept luxury bottles as candle stick holders and makeshift jewellery boxes from Ladurée. They aren’t just product packaging, they’re an artistic investment for life!